Madeleine's Story
by Hermione16
Summary: This is about Madeleine of Queenscove, the daughter of Neal and Yuki, and her years as a page. Unlike Kel, there are three other girls in her year, and two girls in the year above her. She works hard and does her best to succeed.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- Everything in this fic belongs to the wonderful author Tamora Pierce, except for any characters I have made up.

Chapter One

During dinner, Madeleine of Queenscove brought the subject of her becoming a page up. "Papa, I would like to be a page this fall."

Sir Nealan of Queenscove dropped his fork in shock."Excuse me, Madeleine? Did I hear you correctly? You wish to be a page?"

"Yes, Papa," responded Maddie. "So may I become a page and try for my shield like the Lioness, Aunt Kel, the Sisters of Lightning, and Aunt Kel's daughter, Corrie? Please, Papa?"

Sir Neal picked up his fork and waved it around as he answered, "My darling daughter become a page? You want to go off and learn how to fight and suffer with boys who won't be-"

"Enough," interrupted Lady Yukimi. "Neal, may I remind you that you are a knight? And you did let our son Jasson become a page."

"That's different. Jasson can handle it. And there were times when I thought myself foolish for giving up a university degree. Our beloved daughter might find herself regretting her decision of trying for her shield. And she is one girl among twenty or so boys."

"Papa!" protested Maddie. "Aunt Kel was your yearmate and you told her that you believed that women could become knights. And I won't be the only girl! There's Corrie and her yearmate Gwendline of King's Reach. And my friend Sabine of Hollyrose wants to try for her shield also and has convinced her parents to let her become a page this fall. She wrote me today with the news."

"Neal," said Lady Yuki, "Maddie is not-what is the word? Yes, stupid. She understands what the life of a page and squire is like. You and Keladry have told her about your years training to become a knight. Jasson has told Maddie about his two years. And Kel would be most displeased to find out that her goddaughter was not allowed to become a page. Remember the prophecy she told you about? The one made by the seer child Irnai? About how your daughter would try for her shield?"

Sir Neal threw up his hands, dropping his fork again. "Fine. I can't argue against prophecy or two women, And I have no wish for Kel to lecture me. Maddie, you can become a page this fall." He picked up his fork, wiped it with a napkin, and resumed eating.

After supper, Maddie ran to her room and wrote a letter to Sabine, telling her friend that she was to be a page as well. Two days later, Maddie's brother Jasson returned home. He told his sister all about the summer camp and was happy to find out that she was going to be page. He promised to help her if she needed it and warned her that there were still boys who didn't like the idea of lady knights, even though there were five of them.

A week later, Lady Knight Keladry and her husbandSir Domitan of Masbolle came to visit, bringing their children. Aunt Kel and Uncle Dom were Maddie and Jasson's godparents, along with King Roald and Queen Shinkokami. King Jonathan III and Queen Thayet had retired three years ago and had their son and daughter-in-law assume the throne.

Uncle Dom was Sir Neal's cousin and he and Aunt Kel had four children. The oldest was Elric and he was going to be a third year page, like Jasson. Next was Corrinna, Corrie for short, and she was a year older that Maddie. The youngest were eight year-old twins, Ilane and Anders. Anders wanted to be part of the King's Own, like his father, and Ilane was undecided between becoming a page like her older sister or joining the Queen's Riders.

Corrie was happy to hear that Maddie and Sabine were going to be pages and said that she and Gwenny would be their sponsors. Aunt Kel was pleased and asked Maddie how she had gotten her father to let her become a knight. Maddie related the conversation at supper.

"Well, I am glad that he finally said yes, Maddie," said Aunt Kel. "I am sure you will do admirably. Pay no attention to the close-minded people who still believe that women aren't much of fighters. And don't do anything I wouldn't do when I was a page."

Maddie said she wouldn't and asked Aunt Kel to tell some stories of her page years.

Next chapter: Maddie goes to Corus for her training. She meets the two other girls who are going to be yearmates with her and Sabine.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

At the end of August, Maddie and her family went to the palace to see the monarchs and Sir Neal's father. Maddie visited with the oldest princess, Mariko, who was exactly her age. Mari wistfully said she wished she could train for her shield as well, but being princess, her father wouldn't let her. None of the other countries were really interested in having female knights and if she were to be married to a prince of another country to cement an alliance, she couldn't be a knight. However, Mari was being trained in the fighting arts, so it wasn't all bad.

Soon it was time for pages' training to begin. Maddie was taken to the study of Sir Robert of Rosemark, the training master. He was tall, with dark hair, blue eyes, and a stern expression. "Welcome, Madeleine of Queenscove. Are you sure you wish to be a page?"

"Yes, Sir Robert," responded Maddie, bowing a little. "That is what I want."

"Fine, then," said Sir Robert. "Life as a page is hard. I will not favor you over the boys. You will be expected to keep up and do your best. Also,when a boy is in your room, or when you are in a boy's room, the door must be left open. The only exception is if your brother is in your room or you are in his. And it must only be the two of you. If you have a chaperon, the door may be left open. Do you have a servant?"

"Yes, sir," replied Maddie. "My brother and I are sharing one."

"All right, Page Madeleine. However, the servant you and your brother are sharing is not chaperon. If a boy other than your brother is in your room, the door remains open. Is that clear?" Maddie nodded and Sir Robert said, "Good. You may leave now."

Maddie left the room to see a servant leading Sabine and her father, Sir Merric of Hollyrose, toward the study. Maddie smiled and waved to Sabine, who returned the smile and wave. Sir Merric smiled at her as well and whispered, 'Good luck, Maddie," as he passed.

A few minutes later, Maddie arrived at the pages' wing. The housekeeper, Salma, handed Maddie two keys and explained how to unlock her door and warned her to always lock the door and shutters so nobody could get in and make a mess of her room.

Inside her room, Maddie began unpacking her things. She had just finished when there was a knock on the door. She opened it to Corrie and two other girls. One had blonde hair done in a braid and grey eyes,while the other had short brown hair and blue eyes like Corrie. "Hello," said the girl with blonde hair. "I'm Lianne of Jesslaw. You must be Madeleine of Queenscove."

"Hello, I'm Gwendline of King's Reach, Gwenny for short," said the other girl. "Pleased to meet you, Maddie."

"You don't look very Yamani," said Lianne. "Your hair is black, but your eyes are green and your features don't look Yamani at all, except that your eyes are a little slanted, Maddie." She blushed, then asked, "Was that rude? Mama says I can be very frank like Papa."

"It's all right," replied Maddie. "Is your father Sir Owen of Jesslaw? My father said that Sir Owen was a friend to him and Aunt Kel."

Lianne nodded. "Papa told me stories about his time as a page and squire. He said on the whole, his page years were 'jolly'. He was pleased when I expressed a wish to become a knight. Grandpa wasn't so happy about it, though. He's gotten used to the idea of female knights, but he still doesn't really approve of them. Though he admits that they can fight and lead. Lady Keladry proved that to him."

"Who's your grandfather?" asked Gwenny.

"Lord Wyldon of Cavall," answered Lianne. "He was Papa's training master and his knight master, as well."

There was another knock on the door and Sabine came in. She had red hair and green-hazel eyes. "Hello, Maddie and Corrie. I'm Sabine of Hollyrose," she said to Gwenny and Lianne, who introduced themselves in turn.

"Did you know that there's a fourth new girl page this year?" asked Sabine. "She's Rosabel of Nicoline. I don't know why she decided to be a page, unless it was because her twin brother wants to be a page as well and she didn't want to be separated from him. I never thought of her as the type to be interested in becoming a knight. Though she does have some skill in weaponry."

Maddie had met Rosabel and her twin brother Royden once, when Aunt Kel had taken her to visit Lord Esmond of Nicoline, one of Aunt Kel's yearmates. Maddie recalled that Rosabel had no interest in playing with her dolls, unless it was to pretend that they were the Lioness and the other female knights saving villages from bandits or fighting in a war. She couldn't recall much else, other than that Rosabel had curly black hair and brown eyes.

Several minutes later, there was a third knock and Maddie opened it to Rosabel. Rosabel's curls had been cut short. "Hello, everyone. I'm Rosabel of Nicoline, Rose for short. I knocked on the other doors, but nobody answered. It looks like all the girls are in this room."

The others introduced themselves and Maddie saw that Rose was the shortest person in the room. She was about an inch shorter than Lianne, who was the second shortest. The six girls sat down on the bed and the two chairs in the room and began talking and becoming better acquainted.

After two bells of time, all the pages were told to gather in the hall. Sir Robert greeted everyone and asked the new pages to introduce themselves. Sponsors were assigned to each new page. First was Edward of Tameran and Adian of Tasride became his sponsor. Next was Kyle of Disart and Stephan of Nond was his sponsor. Third was Royden of Nicoline and the prince, Brian, became his sponsor. Maddie was next and Corrie became her sponsor. Gwenny was Sabine's sponsor, Jasson was Lianne's, and Jasson's friend Kelan of Irenroha was Rose's sponsor.

All the pages were then told to go down to the mess hall for dinner. On the way down the stairs, someone pushed Maddie and Rose. They would have fallen down the stairs if Corrie and Jasson hadn't grabbed their arms. Rose whirled around and glared at a boy with blond hair, who was smiling wickedly. Corrie sighed and said, "It's Derran of Stone Mountain. He doesn't like lady knights and blames us for his uncle's death in the Chamber of Ordeal."

Maddie had been told about Joren of Stone Mountain and how he had been found dead after his Ordeal. Rose snapped, "Derran, you'd better learn to behave or you'll end up just like your uncle. And get used to female pages. My father didn't much care for lady knights before, but Lady Keladry changed his mind and they're good friends."

In the mess hall, Maddie got a tray of food and sat down at a table. All the girls, their sponsors, Edward, Adian, Elric, Royden, and Brian sat at the same table. Brian was a third year like Elric and Jasson, and Adian was a second year and a friend of Gwenny and Corrie. His father was Seaver of Tasride, who had been one of Aunt Kel's yearmates and friend. Edward was the son of Propser of Tameran, a friend of Aunt Kel's and a yearmate of Sir Owen.

Sir Robert said grace, asking Mithros and the Goddess to watch over everyone and have the pages succeed. When he finished, everyone said, "So mote it be" and began eating.

During dinner, Brian didn't talk much, preferring to listen to the others' chatter. Royden, Roy for short, had black hair and brown eyes like his twin, but his hair was straight rather than curly and his eyes were darker. He was also very serious and didn't smile or laugh as much as Rose.

After supper, Maddie went up to her room, where she did some reading and talked with Sabine about tomorrow, when classes and training would begin. When the bell rang for bedtime, Sabine returned to her room and Maddie got ready for bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The next morning, Maddie got up early and began her exercises with the glaive. When she finished, she did some exercises Aunt Kel had suggested she do, then got dressed and washed up. Corrie came for her not long after and they went downstairs for breakfast. It was mostly a silent affair, as most of the pages weren't fully awake or were awake but not exactly morning people. Other than Maddie, only Lianne and Corrie were awake and cheerful, which annoyed the others at their table.

After breakfast, everyone went outside for weapons practice. Two people, a man and a women, met them.The man was introduced as the Shang Wolf, the woman as the Shang Unicorn. Everyone was paired up, given staffs, and then a staff exercise was demonstrated, which everyone had to follow. Maddie was paired with Derran of Stone Mountain. He didn't look very happy being partnered with a girl and took it out by going harder on her.

As they sparred against each other, Derran muttered, "Why don't you just leave? It's because of a girl like you that my uncle died. I never had a chance to know him. My parents and grandparents said he would been a great knight if that Keladry slut wasn't around."

Maddie snapped, "Don't you dare call my godmother that!" She then put on her Yamani face and took out her anger by fighting back fiercely.

After a bell or so, all the pages practiced archery, then went to the stable. The new pages had to choose their mounts. Madie selected a brown mare named Bluebell. Everyone did some riding for a while.

A little before noon, practice ended. Maddie and the other girls went up to the palace to bathe, while the boys used the men's baths. In her room, Maddie found that her servant, Jessina, had a bath ready for her.

When she was done, she hurriedly got dressed and went downstairs for lunch. Both Derran and Rose came in late, both looking flushed and annoyed. Sir Robert frowned and said, "Tardiness will cost lives. See me after lunch for your punishment."

Rose took a tray and slipped into the seat next to Maddie. Sir Robert said grace, then everyone began eating. Sabine asked, "Why were you late, Rose?"

Rose answered, "Because of Derran. He cornered me in the hall and made very nasty remarks about lady knights andwomen in general. His friend was with him . He looked as if he did agree with most of what Derran was saying, but reminded Derran that they'd be late for supper. Derran wasn't paying attention and his friend left. I lost my temper with him and we got into a fight. We stopped when we heard servants coming."

"Derran is exactly like his late uncle," remarked Corrie. "Well, almost like him. He doesn't take hazing too far, like Mama said his uncleJoren did. But Derran hates girls training for their shield. Gwenny and I got into fights with him and his friend Leon all last year."

"Derran told me that I should leave, that I don't belong here," said Rose. "Well, that was a mistake. I might not have been very serious about becoming a knight, but I am now. I'm one of those people who are a little contrary."

After lunch was lessons. First was mathematics, Maddie's least favorite subject. While she did tolerably well in it, she still hated the subject. Corrie must have inherited her mother's fondness and ability in math, for she listened attentively to the teacher, who seemed to regard her as one of his favorite pupils.

After math was history, taught by Sir Myles of Olau, Lady Alanna's adopted father. He had been in his fifties when he taught Sir Neal and Lady Kel and was now in his seventies. Sir Myles liked teaching very much and had decided not to retire until he was eighty. Maddie hoped that he wouldn't turnretire until after she became a squire, for it would be boring if a Mithran priest took over the class.

After history was literacy class. For homework, Maddie was assigned to read a long poem and then report on what she read the next day. The next class was the study of plants and animals, taught by the mage Lindhall Reed. The class was interesting and Master Reed a kind and good teacher.

Maddie, who had inherited her father's Gift, went to the class for the mageborn after. Her Gift wasn't a healing one, like her father or grandfather, though. Her Gift was more like the king's and she also had the Sight. Jasson was the one with the Healing Gift.

The last class of the day was ettiquette. Maddie found it boring, but listened attentively to the teacher. Finally it ended and she went upstairs to deposit her books in her room. After locking her door, she went downstairs to the mess hall for dinner. Brian and Roy weren't sitting with the group that day, but instead had joined a group of fourth years. Like his father before him, Brian sat with different groups of people at mealtimes so as to not appear as if he favored certain people.

After dinner, Maddie gathered her books and things, then met with her friends in the library to work on homework. Her father had told her about the study group he had been in as a page and she thought it a good idea to continue it. Lianne, Sabine, Corrie, Gwenny, Rose, Roy, Jasson, Brian, Elric, Adian,Edward, and Kelan were all part of the group. They worked until the bell rang that signified bedtime.

Author's Note: This chapter is a little short and prehaps a bit boring. I promise that the future chapters will be more interesting.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The next morning, when Maddie was just about to do her glaive exercises, there was a knock on the door. She opened it to find Rose. "I want to learn how to use a glaive," said Rose. "Could you teach me, please? I'd ask Corrie, but she's teaching Lianne."

"Sure," replied Maddie. She demonstrated a beginner's exercise, then handed her glaive to Rose and had her copy it. They worked until it was almost time for breakfast.

That evening, Corrie and Gwenny suggested that they all meet in the practice yards before breakfast and do glaive practice together. The others thought it a good idea and agreed. So every morning Maddie brought her practice glaive and her ordinary one out to the pages' practice yard. She took turns with Corrie and Gwenny in teaching Rose and Lianne how to use the glaive. Sabine was the only first year girl (besides Maddie) who didn't need lessons, for Lady Kel and Lady Yuki had taught her a few years before.

Maddie and Rose had a run-in with Derran two days later. His friend, Nicholas, was with him. Derran pushed Rose, causing her to fall against Maddie and they both fell down. "Why don't you two get out? Girls shouldn't go around trying to fight and everything. They should learn how to sew, keep house, and look after children."

Rose got up, eye blazing. She reached down a hand to help Maddie up, then snapped, "If you keep this up, you'll end like your uncle. He was like an oak tree, stiff and unyielding. When the storm came, he got uprooted and died. If you don't want to die like he did in the Chamber, you'd better learn to be like a reed, which bends in a storm, but doesn't break."

Maddie blinked in surprise, for Rose had come up with a very good analogy. Nicholas looked uncomfortable. "Derran, this is getting boring. I agree that girls aren't exactly suitable for knighthood, but so far, none of the lady knights have done anything that got them killed. I don't want to fail the Ordeal just because I was too close-minded. Why don't you just let up on them?"

"Shut up, Nick!" snapped Derran. "If you don't like this, you can leave and do something else with your time."

"Maybe I will!" returned Nick angrily. He turned to Maddie and Rose and said, "Rosabel and Madeleine, I'm not going to bother you or the other girl pages. I don't agree with your being here, but I'm not a bully, and I do want to try to be open-minded." He then glared at Derran and stalked off.

Derran turned his attention back to the girls. "Who cares about Nick? Not much of a friend if he won't stand by me. Well, I'm going to do my best to drive you out." He charged at Maddie, who stepped aside and tripped him. He got up and everything esclated to a fight.

As it was Maddie and Rose against Derran, the fight ended quickly and Derran lost. That was when a servant came upon them and took them to Sir Robert's office. Sir Robert looked sternly at the three. "What happened here? The servant says you were fighting."

Maddie and Rose exchanged looks, then said in unison, "We fell down, sir."

Sir Robert sighed and looked at Derran, who replied, "Madeleine and Rosabel attacked me! I was minding my own business when they started insulting me. I wouldn't answer, so they tried to provoke me further with blows."

Maddie looked incredulous and Rose angry. "How dare you! You were the one that provoked us, Derran of Stone Mountain!"

Sir Robert sighed. "That is enough! I don't care who started it. Fighting is not tolerated. Page Derran, you are confined to the palace for the next three weeks and will spend a bell every day for two weeks working in the stables. Page Rosabel, you will labor in the armory for two bells every day for a week. Page Madeleine, you will spend two bells every day for a week in the laundries. You are dismissed."

Derran bowed first and fled the room. Maddie and Rose bowed, then left after Derran. Rose was furious and said angrily to Maddie, "Of all the nerve! Derran has to lie and accuse us of starting the fight. He was the one who started it! Oh, I could do a whole manner of nasty things to him! At least Sir Robert seems to believe that Derran started it, or at least lied about who started it. Why else would he tell Derran that he was confined to the palace for the next three weeks and not say the same to us?"

Maddie shrugged. "It is possible. Well, we have punishment work. I hope it won't happen too often. Maybe Derran will decide not to provoke us into fights if we're going to be caught and punished." Neither girl found it too likely, though. They went on their way to find their friends and tell them what had happened.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

After the week of punishment work, all the pages who weren't confined to the palace were allowed a trip to the city. Rose and Gwenny were among the pages who were confined to the palace. They had run into Derran and a friend of his, Leran, and had gotten into a fight. Actually, Leran had made some comments, which provoked Rose. She not being the most even-tempered person around, had angrily returned the comments, which had eventually escalated into a fight. Derran joined in to help his friend, and as two against one wasn't really fair, Gwenny had gotten involved as well.

Several servants had ended up breaking up the fight and took them to Sir Robert. He was not pleased to see Derran and Rose brought to him for fighting again. Derran was confined to the palace for another three weeks, and Rose was confined for four. Leran and Gwenny were each confined to the palace for two weeks, and all four of them had been given a week of punishment work.

Maddie had tried to teach Rose about the "Yamani face" without much success. "This is Tortall, not the Yamani Islands, Maddie. I can't get my face to be calm and try to be like stone. When I get mad, I show it. I don't go around hiding my feelings. And the best way to get me to do something is to try to get me to do the opposite. I wasn't that serious about training for my shield until Father said he didn't want me to. Then I got serious and spent a week talking him around."

On the free day, Maddie and her friends went to Corus and explored. Maddie, Sabine, and Lianne weren't very familar with the city and had to depend on Corrie to show them around. They looked through the items for sale in several shops and Maddie bought adagger that Rosehad asked her to buy for her. After, everyonehad somelunch at an inn called the Dancing Dove and then returned to the palace. Maddie gave the dagger and change to Rose, then went to visit her grandfather, Duke Baird and chief of the palace healers.

Jasson was also visiting and was having an animated discussion on the best uses for the Healing Gift. the conversation stopped when Maddie entered and Duke Baird hugged his granddaughter. "And how are you today, Maddie?"

"I'm fine, Grandpa," replied Maddie. "I love being a page. I could describe it as being 'jolly', like my friend Lianne does sometimes."

"Well, your father wouldn't," said Duke Baird. "He complained frequently. But I suppose he thought it was worth it in the end. Though I believe he only became a knight because there has ben a Queenscove knight for generations."

"Aunt Kel told me," answered Maddie. "She said Papa brought that up repeatedly. Jasson, you never did explain to me fully why you decided to try for your shield. You could have gone to the royal university and become a mage or a healer like Grandpa."

"Come one, Maddie," responded Jasson. "You know I hate studying. The only academic stuff I'm halfway interested in is reading, and that's only if what I'm reading is interesting. I'm more interested in learning how to fight. And you know Papa's both a knight and healer. So I'm going to be the same. You can't, because your Gift isn't a healing one."

"Fine, I get your point," said Maddie. She stayed a few minutes longer to talk with her grandfather, then left.

A few days later, Maddie and her friends were doing their morning glaive practices when they heard a familar and nasty voice. "What are you_girls_doing, jabbing around with pigstickers?" The six girls whirled around to see Derran, Leran, and three other boys.

"And what are you _boys_ doing up so early?" retorted Corrie. "I thought you five didn't like to get up any earlier than you had to."

One of the boys, who had dark hair and cold, glittering, dark green eyes, smirked. "We felt really awake this morning, and decided to see what you six were up to. Derran, where's Nick? This is something he should be-"

"He's not interested, Jarlen," interrupted Derran. "He got cold feet or something and said I should leave the girls alone and refused to have anything to do with driving them away. He wasn't that interested last year, for that matter. But he did hang around when we were trying to get rid of _them._" He jerked his head in the direction of Corrie and Gwenny.

Another boy, with dark red hair and blue eyes, suddenly looked uncertain. "Just why are we doing this? Our efforts to drive Corrinna and Gwendline away last year didn't do any good. They're still here, and it just annoyed half the pages, who don't mind having lady knights.'

"Don't tell us you have cold feet, too," said Leran in disgust. "Pachel, whos's side are you on?"

"Your's, of course," responded Pachel. "I don't like lady knights and girl pages. But our efforts are sort of futile."

Just then, the bell rang and Jarlen said, "Never mind. Let's go get ready for breakfast." The boys quickly disappeared.

Maddie was extremely annoyed. "I hate having my glaive practice interrupted. And now we can't finish, because we'll be late if we do."

Sabine spat on the ground, earning a shocked look from the others. She glared at them. "So I'm unladylike. What does it matter? You're all training to be knights, and that's not very ladylike. Look, I need some way to express my feelings, and as I don't swear..."

"Point taken," said Lianne. "We'd better got inside and get ready." The girls gathered their weapons and headed inside.


	6. Chapter 6

chapter six

Two weeks later, Maddie was on her way to the library when she stopped to see Jarlen, Pachel, and Leran gathered together, looking bored. Suddenly Edward appeared, holding a book. "Here's the book you wanted."

Leran said, "You're supposed to add 'sir' or 'my lord' at the end."

Jarlen glanced at the book, then looked up and snapped, "I wanted the book on the Copper Isles, not on the Carthak Empire!"

Edward looked annoyed. "I heard you distinctly say you wanted a book on the Carthak Empire, Jarlen. If this is a case of taking hazing too far, I won't put up with it. Father and his friends didn't." He set down the book and walked away, accidentally bumping into Maddie.

The two fell down. Edward got up first and reached out a hand to help Maddie up. Jarlen and Leran snarled, but Pachel glanced around nervously. Finally he said, "I just remembered I promised to help Nick with his math homework." With that, he hurried away.

Leran looked annoyed with Pachel leaving, but then he turned his attention back to Edward and Maddie. "You're not going anywhere, Tameran," he snapped. "Not until you get the book Jarlen needs."

"Get the bloody book yourself," spat Edward. "It's one thing to ask a first year page to fetch a book, but it's another to claim that he brought the wrong one and send him back."

"You're supposed to obey when an older page askes you to do something," snarled Jarlen.

"Yes, if it was merely a simple matter of getting your homework or something. But not when you decide it's fun to send someone to get a book repeatedly. If you think I'm going to put up with that, you're very much mistaken."

Leran stepped forward. "You are going to get the books Jarlen and I want, though, Tameran."

"He already told you he wasn't!" exclaimed Maddie. "Didn't you hear Edward the first time?"

Leran glared at her. "Oh, now the girl's standing up for him. Tameran, how does it feel to have a _girl_ fight your battles?"

"Maddie isn't fighting my battles," snapped Edward. "She just wants to help me." He glanced at her and said, "Maddie, you don't have to get involved. I can take care of myself." He turned his attention back to Jarlen and Leran.

Jarlen had moved next to Leran. "Well, one of you is going to get my book. If Tameran won't get it, Queenscove can. I think she'd make a good servant, even if she isn't much as a page."

"I'm not getting your book!" snapped Maddie. "Stop being so lazy and get the blasted thing yourself!" She decided not to go to the library after all and left the corridor, dragging Edward away by the arm.

Once they were in the pages' wing, Edward looked levelly at Maddie. "You really didn't have to step in," he said. "But thank you for dragging me away before it escalated into a fight." He then entered his room.

A few days later, Maddie and Sabine ran into Derran, Jarlen, and Leran attempting to take hazing too far with Kyle. However, Kyle wasn't putting up with it. "Edward informed me of what you tried to do with him!" he snapped. "I'm not stupid. I bet that whenI come back with the juice, one of you will probably trip me purposedly and then force me to clean the spill up. For your information, I'm not your servant. If you want juice, get it yourself or ask a servant to do it!"

"And if you do ask a servant, you'd better do it politely or they might decide to not obey you," cut in Sabine. Unlike most nobles, and like Maddie, Corrie, Jasson, Elric, and Lianne, she treated commoners nicely and did not think of them as lesser than nobles.

Kyle turned around and snapped, "Stay out of it, Hollyrose! It's none of your business." Maddie then remembered that Kyle's father was Baldrun of Disart, whom her father and Aunt Kel hadmentioned as a page who wasn't friends with them, but wasn'tfriends withJoren and his cronies, either.

Sabine blinked in suprise and Kyle quickly added, "No offense, Sabine." He turned back to Leran, Jarlen, and Derran.

The three other boys weren't interested in Kyle anymore, though. They had shifted their attention to Maddie and Sabine. "Well, well, what a pleasant surprise," commented Jarlen. "Fancy seeing you two here. Why don't you two be good and fetch us some juice?"

"I told you the other evening I wasn't fetching your blasted book, and I'm not about to get your d-d juice either!" snapped Maddie, losing her hold on her Yamani face and showing some of her father's temper.

"And if you think I'm going to fetch the three of you juice, you've got another idea coming!" added Sabine angrily. She was mostly an even-tempered person, but sometimes she could flare up like Rose.

Derran stepped forward. "You'd better do it!" he snapped. "Or else I'll make your life miserable and call the two of you whores and sl-"

"Shut up!" snapped Kyle, looking extremely furious. "You know perfectly well they aren't-the words you were using. And if you do call them that, you'll get into fights with them, Maddie's brother, and all their friends, plus any pages who don't think like you and don't like you. If your mother heard you using such language, she'd likely wash out your mouth with soap and water. And you'll have a hard time making their lives miserable. Stephan, my sponsor, says you did your best to make Corrinna's and Gwendline's lives miserable and drive them out, but failed."

"I didn't know you liked lady knights and girl pages, Disart," said Leran in suprise. "You've never hung around the girls before."

Kyle turned to him. "Maybe not, but I am friends with Edward, who's friendly with the girls and doesn't mind their being here. I don't care if there are girls or not. The five lady knights have proved themselves, so it's my opinion that if a girl wants to train for her shield, she can do so and it's none of my business. And I wasn't brought up to be mean and rude, even if I hated the idea of lady knights."

Derran nudged Leran and hissed, "Ignore Disart. He's not our problem. It's those girls who're a problem." Then in a louder voice, "My sisters would never dream of being so unladylike.They're content to stay inside and do embroidery and learn how to be _proper_ ladies."

"My mother disagrees!" snapped Maddie. "She believes that a lady can learn how to fight and such. What about the Queen's Royal Ladies? They're ladylike, and they also know archery and can keep up with Aunt-I mean Queen Shinko when riding."

Pachel happened to walk by and stopped, looking at the situation. He finally said, "Derran, Nick wants to speak to you about your math homework. He's figured out the problem you couldn't do. Leran and Jarlen, our friend Warrel wants to see you two about something."

When the three didn't show any signs of moving, Pachel added, "They want to see you _now_. That's why they sent me to look for you." They sighed and grudgingly left. Once they were gone, Pachel turned to Maddie, Sabine, and Kyle. "You three better leave before Jarlen and Leran find out that Warrel wasn't looking for them and come back. I sent them away because I don't believe in taking hazing too far. And I had a conversation with Nick and he convinced me to leave the girls alone unless I wished to fail the Ordeal like Derran's uncle."

With that, he abruptly left. Maddie exchanged looks with Sabine, then turned to Kyle and said, "You're welcome to join our study group. We're meeting in the library and that's where we were going when we came across you and Derran and his friends."

Kyle considered for a few seconds, then answered, "I think I will take you up on the offer. Just let me get my books and things. I'll meet you two and your friends there."

Half a bell later, Kyle showed up with a black eye. Everyone in the study group gasped in surprise. "What happened?" asked Elric.

"I ran into Warrel, a friend of Darren's on my way here," responded Kyle. "He made some very rude remarks about girls. I lost my temper and we got into a brief fight. A few servants separated us and took us to Sir Robert. I have a week's punishment work and I'm confined to the palace for two weeks. Warrel's got the same punishment."

"Come here," said Jasson. He reached up a hand, now sparkling with emerald light, and touched Kyle's black eye. Kyle protested that only Sir Robert could authorize healings, but Jasson said, "Don't worry. I'm just taking away the pain. You'll still have the mark."

When he finished, Kyle sat down and everyone began or continued working.


End file.
